Television receiver tuning indicator



y 4, 1954 w. H. MYERS EI'AL 2,677,346

TELEVISION RECEIVER TUNING INDICATOR Filed Feb. 19, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q i. N

l N: g N1 2: n IN =1 IN V EN TORS.

WIL LIAM H. MYERS. CARL REYNOLDS Jr.

A T TORNE Y.

y 1954 w. H. MYERS EI'AL 2,677,346

TELEVISION RECEIVER TUNING INDICATOR Filed Feb. 19, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS. WILLIAM H. MYERS. CARL REYNOLDS Jr.

ATTORNEY.

Patented May 4, 1954 TELEVISION. RECEIVER TIININGjINDICATOR Williaan H. Myers, fiincinnati, {'Ohio, .nan'd :Garl iReynolds, Jr.,: Birmingham,iMich.,aassi 'imrsvt .Avco 1 Manufacturing Corporation, Gincinnati, zo iwa corporation of Delawar -ApplicationfFebjruary 19, 1952, Serial Nor2723'474 -.3."Claims. (Cl. 11-;6-.=}2!;1-)

The: present inventionrelatesgenerally to tuning indicators and :morespecifically "to tuning indicators suitable for use with a television "receiver' circuit.

The -"com1: leX-it y of the-modern television receiver requires a relatively large number "f circuit parameter adjustments for optimum reception. For example, a television "receiver must incorporate atleast a'tuner and a volume control -muoh the same as an --ordinary radio ;receiver. In addition, -'it is necessary --to incorporate some means for adjustingithecontrast' as well as the over all brightness of the reproduced picture. Practice *has further shown =that a picture focus control is necessary along with linearity controls in both thehorizontal and vertical deflection cir- 'cuits. 'Mostcircuits also required periodic adjustment of othercomponents such as the automatic-frequency control and the automatic gain control systems.

Certain ones-of j-these'controls need repeated adjustment and for: this 'reasonrequire connecting extension shafts 'to-be brought out through the'frontcabinet panel "in positions of prominence. The tuning'control, volume control and contrast control are usually considered as b longing in this category. Other controls which seldom require adjustment need not be so accessible and for this reason, conventionally, may be placed anywhere on the chassis, available only to those skilled in the higher echelonsof maintenance. In between these two extremes there is what might be called a group of secondary controls which though notrequiring constantattention still must be accessible for periodic adjustment.

Ithas been the practice to bring out. connecting extension shafts through ,the. front of .the panel in orderto control the parameters of thesesec- .ondary adjustments; however, the majority lof manufacturers have responded. to publicdemand for simplicityv by .ccncealingjtheir presence on [the front of the panel by means of either a decorative escutcheonplate or a panel door, having, no other purpose than to .oovertoverthe position of the control shafts. Obviously, the ;addi tionof .sucha panel door .or decorative .escutcheon ,plate i ,n creasesconsumer cost and at the sametime Weakenscabinet construction. It would bedesirable toprovide some other. means for hidingondiseu s n theposi o thesesecond ru aramete control shafts without these andotherinherent disadvantages.

Therefore; it is an obi ect of the present invention to su ply :a decorative structure whichds capable-of disguising the-position of the second- .2 ary parameter control shafts and which is-also capable of performing some other and =more primary {receiver -:function.

It is a 'further and more specific objectof the present invention to provide a structure which not-only disgu-ises the position. of the-secondary parameter control shafts, =still leaving them readily accessible, but-which also performs-the primary-function of' indicating the selected channel or station.

Briefly, the illustratedembodiment of ourin- .vention comprises ad-ial structure having an ind-icia plate -mounted in indicating relationship with amovable dial pointer. The pointeris actuated 'conjointl-y with a conventionaltelevision receiver channel selector. Thechannel selector may be either the preferred continuous :tuning type-or any other-type which :is suitable. "The dial structure, per-se, -oomprises an indioia plate provided with an opaque portion and a transparent portion. -It inay --be -con'structed from -glass,-plastic-or any other conventionally suitable material. The -moving dial pointer :is -mountecl immediately behind the clear portion of the indicia platein -indicatingrelationshipwith the frequency markings or --channel numbers as illustrated. The opaque portion; of the 1 indicia plate ismadlargeenoughto cover' theextension shafts connected to secondary parameter control units mounted =-therebehind. 'I-n order-to make these controls accessible-when desiredthe indicia plate is supported with relation 'tothe movable-pointer and secondarypzirameter control-shafts by hinged mounting-means whereby the plate andsupportingbeze'l may-beopened and closed. Thus when their-i d-iciaplate-is in-closed-position. it serves v its primary function of indicating the selectedohan- *nel car-station iii-accordancewith the-positio'n of the movable pointer-as well as functioning as a decorative means for disguising I the position of the secondary -control extension"shafts. *When the indicia plate isinopen position the secondary parameter control shafts are accessible -for i adjustment. For ,abetter understandin of the present inventiontogether'with other and J further' -objects, adva t es .an ..capabi iti her of.:reier made to the fo owins'iii c osure and appended claims in c nne t n ith :t a omp n in drawingsrin which:

'fFia. 11s ato vi th comple e ss bly showingitherelative-positlons of the indicia; plate,

I movable pjointerand secondar-yeparameter control shaft--extensionsp -ancl v e -*'Fig.-*2-ls a front-Mewtif the assembly with a 3 cutaway section showing how the movable pointer is mounted on the dial background panel through which the secondary parameter control extension shafts protrude. This view also shows the indicia plate in open position whereby the extension shafts are accessible, and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the assembly, and

Fig. 4 is a front view of the assembly with the indicia plate in closed position showing the primary control knobs. Though the structure to be hereinafter more fully described is primarily designed for use with a television receiver using a continuous type of tuner or channel selector, as contrasted with a turret type of tuner or switch type of channel selector, it is not to be considered specifically limited thereto and it is to be understood that it may be used in television receivers using any type of conventional tuner or channel selector as well as in conventional radio receivers if so desired.

Basically, the structure comprises a slide-rule type of dial having an indicia plate II fixedly mounted in a bezel I2. It is to be understood that elements II and I2 may be formed in one piece from plastic or some other suitable material if such is desired, rather than in two parts as illustrated. The lower portion of the bezel I2 and the lower portion of frame I3 are formed to provide a hinged coupling I4 therebetween. Frame I3 is formed to fit into an opening cut into panel I5 and is fixedly attached to the panel by fastening means I6 which extend into the rear surface of the panel through mounting tabs II. Movable pointer I8 is formed so as to be able to slide laterally to and fro along the upper longitudinal edge of dial background plate I9 which may be attached to chassis by other bracket means or as illustrated by shaping the background panel 50 as to provide a rearward and downward extending flange portion 2| suitable for attachment to chassis 20 by spot welding or fastening means such as metal screws, not shown. Tuner control extension shaft 22 includes a single layer string reservoir which may have included spiral grooves 23 on the front portion thereof suitable for guiding the string into position on the shaft so as to prevent axial shifting of the stored string. Set screws 24 and 25 are provided for holding the tuner extension shaft tightly to tuner shaft 26.

As best seen in Fig. 1 the dial string 100p can be considered as starting from tension spring 21, making a plurality of counterclockwise turns around the rear portion of the dial extension shaft 2I and a plurality of counterclockwise turns around the grooved front portion 23 of the extension shaft 2I, then on to the movable pointer I8 around pulley 28 back to the other end of tension spring 21. The sliding pointer I8 may be connected to the dial string in any conventional manner well known to those skilled in the art.

Clockwise rotation of channel selector extension shaft 22 stores dial string on the spiral grooved front portion 23 of extension shaft 22 and removes string by way of pulley 28 which was previously stored on the rear portion of extension shaft 22. This moves dial pointer I8 towards extension shaft 22 indicating that the tuner is being adjusted toward the higher frequency television channels '7 through 12. Counterclockwise rotation of extension shaft 22 removes dial string from the forward spiral grooved portion 23 and stores string on the rearward portion of the shaft thus moving dial pointer I8 toward pulley 28, indicating that the channel selector eircuitsare being tuned toward the lower frequency television channels 2 through 6. Though the actual structure used to slide movable pointer I8 to and fro along the upper edge of dial background plate I9 comprises no part of the present invention, the illustrated dial string reservoir pulley system has been found to be ideally suited for use with our novel structure because it allows the dial pointer to be positioned relative to the secondary control extension shafts in such a manner as to not interfere with their use in making adjustments of the connected circuit parameters. Obviously, other means for moving the pointer may be utilized and such structures will readily occur to those skilled in the art.

Our novel concept generically and basically involves the idea of supporting the dial indicia plate relative to the moving pointer and secondary control extension shafts in such a manner as to provide ready access to these controls without impairing the primary function of the indicia plate which is to indicate the input signal frequency selecting condition of the channel selector or tuner circuit. As best seen in the assembly cross section view of Fig. 3, the secondary control shafts 30 are positioned immediately behind indicia plate II when the indicia plate and supporting frame are in closed position and held by the snap fastening means 27. It will be noted that movable pointer I8 is so positioned as to be able to slide to and fro on dial background plate I9 without interference from either the secondary control shafts 3B or indicia plate II.

As best seen in Fig. 4 when the indicia plate is in closed position the wedge shaped portion of movable pointer I8 can be seen through the transparent portion of plate II in indicating position relative to the channel markings on the opaque portion. If adjustment of secondary circuit parameters is desired indicia plate II along with bezel I2 may be rotated outwardly and downwardly around the axis of hinge I4 to'take the position as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3. It will be noted that the rear surface of the opaque portion of indicia plate I I may be used for inscribing control nomenclature required for indicating the portion of the television circuit to which each secondary parameter control shaft extension is related.

In the illustrated embodiment it will be noted that the bezel I2 and supported indicia plate II are maintained in the open position by gravity, there being no spring or other means counteracting this force. It is appreciated that design requirements may call for a dial structure mounted in some other plane than the one illustrated and that it may be desirable to use either a spring loaded hinge I4 or some other conventional means for maintaining the bezel and indicia plate structure in open position while extension shafts 30 are being adjusted. It is also appreciated that snap fastening means 21 may be eliminated by using a spring loaded hinge for maintaining the bezel and indicia plate structure in closed position. This would eliminate the need for snap fastening means 21. Further, it is also appreciated that dial structures other than the illus trated slide-rule type may be used in connection with our novel concept. For example, the pointer may be made stationary and a movable circular indicia plate connected to one of the primary control shafts. The hollowed out center portion of the circular dial could be designed to provide sufficient room for covering over 'the necessary secondary parameter control extension shafts with l 51 the center portion of the dial being hingedly connected to the remainder of the dial in a manner analogous to that shown in the illustrated embodiment. Other structures utilizing the novel generic concept will now occur to those skilled in the art, and we do not intend to be limited to the specific slide-rule type species as illustrated and disclosed erein.

The of our novei concept should 72:. now be apparent. First, we provide a dial structure which performs its primary function of indieating the frequency position of the tuner or channel selector circuit by making a portion of the indicia plate opaque and supporting it by hinged means in indicating relationship with a movable pointer. By so doing, we are able to utilize the dial structure for a second function, i. e., the function of disguising the position of various adjustable parameter control shafts so as to eliminate auxiliary panel op-inings heretofore considered necessary. Such a structure reduces costs, facilitates cleaning of the transparent portion of the indicia plate and provides a suitable surface for inscribing secondary control nomenclature or nameplate data.

While there has been shown and described what at present is considered the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will become obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. In combination, a, television receiver chassis, a slide rule type of dial structure comprising an indicia plate having a transparent portion and an opaque portion, a bezel formed to support said plate, a frame structure formed to hingedly support said bezel for opening and closing movements about an axis fixed with relation to said television chassis, a movable pointer disposed between said chassis and the transparent portion of said plate in indicating relationship with indicia on the opaque portion of said indicia plate, manual receiver circuit adjustment means disposed immediately behind the space covered by the opaque portion of said indicia plate when said plate is in closed position whereby said adjustment means is inaccessible and hidden from view when said bezel is in closed position and whereby said adjustment means is in view and accessible when said bezel is in open position.

2. In combination, a television receiver chassis, a slide rule type of dial structure comprising an indicia having a transparent portion and an opaque portion, a bezel formed to support said plate, a frame structure formed to hingedly support said bezel for opening and closing movements about an axis fixed with relation to said television chassis, a movable pointer mounted in indicating relationship with indicia on the opaque portion of said indicia plate, manual receiver circuit adjustment means disposed immediately behind the opaque portion of said plate when said plate is in closed position, whereby said adjustment means is inaccessible and hidden from view when said bezel is in closed position and whereby said adjustment means is in view and accessible when said bezel is in open position.

3. In combination with a television receiver, a receiver chassis, a dial structure comprising an indicia plate having a transparent portion and an indicia bearing opaque portion, means for hingedly supporting said plate for opening and closing movements about an axis fixedly spaced from said chassis, a movable pointer supported behind the transparent portion of said plate in indicating relationship with the plate indicia when said plate is in closed position, manual receiver adjustment means disposed immediately behind the opaque portion of said plate when said plate is in closed position, whereby said adjustment means is within view and accessible when said plate is in open position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 103,567 Fisher Mar. 16, 1937 D. 156,575 Stone Dec. 20, 1949 1,734,694 Schwartz Nov. 5, 1929 2,606,239 Beste Aug. 5, 1952 

